Separator



J, C. WHITE Jan. 15, 1935.

SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheefl l Invenoh@ Jan. 15, 1935..1. c. WHITE SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 2e, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Til-Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention pertains generally to apparatus for separating heavyparticles out of moving streams of lighter iluids and is especiallyuseful in the removing of dust, ashes and cinders from air or gasstreams.

Where fluid streams are propelled with blowers or other propellers athigh velocity, the separation of heavy particles or sedimentaryparticles therein is facilitated by this high velocity, but where it isimpractical or too expensive to employ propellers for increasing thevelocity of the streams, it has heretofore been diflicult to eiTect suchseparation.

The present invention aims to attain increased velocity in moving fluidstreams without the use of any mechanical propelling apparatus, thisfeature being accomplished by temporarily reducing the cross sectionalarea of the streams in order to accomplish an increase in theirvelocity.

The drawings herein disclose the manner of utilizing this invention forseparating ashes and cinders from the products of combustion of boilerswhile these products of combustion are on their way to the chimney. Inthis case the gases are flowing at a speed which is not normallyconsidered fast enough to utilize the advantages of centrifugal force ineffecting such separation However, by dividing the total stream into aplurality of small streams and temporarily reducing the area of eachstream to increase its velocity, I have found that a high eiciency incentrifugal separation of the solid particles can be attained. This Ihave a1- ready demonstrated by an actual industrial installation whereinI have found that the device operates without any care being required tokeep it clean or to prevent it from clogging. There being no movingparts in the device no expense attends the operation of it nor is thereany apparent necessity for maintenance costs.

It is accordingly the general object of this invention to effect suchseparation of heavy particles from moving streams by centrifugal actionwithout employing blowers and the like for attaining the velocitynecessary for such separation.

Various particular objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from a perusal of this specification in connection with thedrawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a boiler, ue and chimney with the deviceof this invention installed in the latter,

Fig. 2 is a plan section of the apparatus shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of the separatingdevice,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the separating device shown positioned in theilue, and,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same device.

The drawings show the device mounted in association with the apparatuswhich gives it its usefulness. This includes a boiler l, a horizontalflue 2 and a chimney 3. Mounted where the fiue enters the chimney is theseparator itself which consists of a structure having a plurality ofvertically disposed partitions 4 which extend between the cover plate 5and the bottom plate 6 of the separator. Where the gases enter Abetweenthesev vertical partitions there is no restriction to their flow, thegases being merely subdivided into a plurality of smaller streams bymaintaining substantially the same velocity.` The trailing ends,however, of each of these partitions are curved, as shown in Figs. 3 and4,

each to form a part of a pocket 7 which is closed at its top by means ofthe cover plate 5 and each being open at its bottom so that cindersand'y ashes-retained within the curved portion '7 may drop down into thebottom of the chimney.

Each or" these partial cylindrical surfaces is provided in any suitablemanner with a baille plate 8 which restrains further centrifugal travelofthe cinder particles and baffles them and causes them to dropvertically downwardly.

In order to reduce the cross sectional area of each of the subdividedstreams, I provide converging plates 9 which themselves are verticallydisposed, as shown in Fig. 4, and cause the gases at their positions toacquire increased velocity. In a iiue of this character, withoutemploying blowers, these converging or restricting plates 9 will causethe subdivided streams to obtain a sufficient velocity as they aredelivered into the separating pockets 7 to have considerable centrifugalforce as they move along the curved surfaces of these pockets. The solidparticles will be retained within the pockets by the anges 8 while thegases themselves readily escape through the apertures between the walls9 and the baiiles 8.

By curving the pockets on one side of the vertical center line one way,that is, laterally outwardly, and the pockets on the other side of thevertical line in the opposite direction and by staggering the pockets inthe manner shown in Fig. 4, great economy of space can be attained andthe several pockets permitted to accomplish their functions withoutmutual interference.

By subdividing the main stream of flue gases, as this inventionprovides, the small streams may be conducted to and subjected tocentrifugal separators of smaller radius than could be utilized by asingle large stream. Since the centrifugal force imparted to a streamincreases as the radius of the turn or deection decreases the employmentof a large number of centrifugal separators of small radius yields atota-l centrifugal force greater than could readily be applied to theentire stream if undivided.

The space within each separator pocket becomes a somewhat dead air spacewhich will repel the oncoming stream of gases and deflect it sharply outof the pocket but will, nevertheless, receive readily the solidparticles such as cinders which may be directed toward the pocket by theoncoming gases. These particles are prevented from escaping from thepockets by reason of the bailies 8 and will therefore fall under theaction of gravity to the lower open ends or" the several pockets. Thedownward discharge of these particles is aided somewhat by the gradualdownward movement of the gas which results from the natural draft of thechimney acting on the lower ends of these pockets, further assisted bythe impact on the air in these pockets by the streams which aredischarged toward them in the subdivided liuc channels.

One important advantage possessed by the invention resides in the factthat the heavy particles which are removed from the moving stream offluid are discharged in a manner and at a position where they will notbe picked up again by the fluid from which they were separated. There isno danger of re-entrainment of the separated particles.

While the drawings show an embodiment of the invention which has beendesigned and utilized for separation of cinders from flue gases, it willbe apparent that the principles of the invention may readily be employedin apparatus for separating oil and water from exhaust steam, and alsofor the accomplishment of other similar separation problems.

Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the advantages of thisinvention may be attained by utilizing structures which may differ invarious respects from the disclosed embodiment and which will,nevertheless, remain within the scope of the invention as expressed inthe claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A separator comprising a plurality of vertical parallel partitionsincluding a middle partition forming passages for fluids, the outermostpassage on each side of said middle partition having a verticallyextending bafe converging partially across its associated passage towardthe next adjacent partition arranged for constricting the fluid streampassing thereby, each passage intermediate said outside passages andsaid middle partition having a similar converging bale but arrangedprogressively further along in the advancing fluid streams, all of saidbafes on either side of said middle partition converging inwardly towardthe middle partition, and dust collecting pockets providing verticalchannels open at the bottom and closed at the tops thereof positionedbeyond the re- Istricted outlet provided beween each partition and itsassociated converging baflie, all of said pockets discharging theescaping fluids in directions outwardly from said middle partition.

2. A separator comprising a chamber having a closed top and bottomprovided with a plurality of vertical parallel partitions including amiddle partition, the middle partition being the longest as measuredfrom the entrance ond of said chamber, the partitions on either side ofsaid middle partition terminating' successively and progressively shortof the end of said middle partition, dust collecting pockets connectedat the end of each partition providing vertically extending channelsclosed at the top and open at the bottom and discharging gases outwardlyfrom said middle partition, and a converging baie positioned betweeneach pair of partitions for narrowing a stream of fluid flowingtherebetween toward said associated pocket extending vertically betweenthe associated partitions and inclined toward the entrance of eachassociated pocket.

JOHN C. WHITE.

